


Education

by androgynousclintbarton



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Clint gets his GED, M/M, Phil's not as amazing as people try to make him out to be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 20:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6823774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/androgynousclintbarton/pseuds/androgynousclintbarton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil decides to pay Clint a visit in medical while he's healing after a bad mission, and finds him studying for his GED instead of resting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Education

**Author's Note:**

> Edited by Illusinia

            Leaning against the doorway to Clint's hospital room, Phil cocked an eyebrow silently as he watched the currently bed-ridden archer from across the room. The other man sat hunched over in his hospital bed, a notebook on the movable table in front of him and an open textbook balanced on his knees.

           “I thought the doctor told you to take it easy?” remarked Phil calmly, hands tucking themselves in his pants pockets. Clint’s head snapped up at the sound of Phil’s voice, apparently having been too lost in his studies to have noticed the older agent had arrived. “You didn’t get shot like usual, you know. You got a face full of poison powder that almost killed you. You were down for the count for 2 weeks.”

            The pen in Clint’s hand made a faint clattering sound when the archer dropped it, opting to use his hands to speak instead of straining his throat. The poison had done a number on the archer’s fine membranes and vocal cords, making speaking a painful endeavor.  If Phil knew anything about the other man, and he liked to think he did being both his handler and his boyfriend, the only reason Clint had his hearing aids in was to deal with visitors and to keep his own paranoia at bay. Other than that, he would have probably opted to neither talk nor listen to anyone.

            _Doctor said not to do any talking, screaming, snarking or anything that involves straining my throat.'_ Phil’s eyes followed the steady movement of Clint’s fingers, a smile pulling at his lips as the younger man gestured towards his work. _Besides, this assignment is due tomorrow, so I have to work on it._

            With a roll of his eyes, Phil pushed himself away from the door frame and crossed to Clint’s bedside. “Remind me again why you decided to take a GED course?”

            _I wanted a change?'_  The archer signed with a small shrug of his shoulders. _I know I don’t need it, SHIELD has me busy for the rest of my life as long as I don’t get too badly injured, but I always kind of wondered what it would feel like to have my high school diploma._

            “So, you decided to work your ass off even when you’ve just been poisoned?” reaching out towards Clint’s textbook, Phil lifted the cover so that he could read what it was that Clint was forgoing rest in favour of. “Physics? That’s some tough stuff.”

**_'_** _’m reading most of it with an Archers mind. It make’s it easier to understand.'_ Clint shrugged a little, his fingers moving around the words with an ease that was only rivaled by his skill with a bow. Almost everywhere else in his life, Clint stumbled, messed up, and made a pretty big fool of himself. _Besides, it’s only grade 12 physics. Way easier than I thought it would be._

“Still impressive,” commented Phil as he dropped the cover back down against Clint’s knee. “I always failed science classes. Got a 20% in a chemistry course I tried to take in order to meet all of the requirements at my high school.” Seeing the confusion that crossed Clint’s face, Phil couldn’t help but chuckle. “What? Did you think I was some super smart nerd in school who got good grades in everything?”

_Well, kind of,_ Clint signed, pushing the table that held his notebook off to the side so that he could focus on his conversation with Phil. _I mean, it’s what everyone here says. Honour student in high school, top grades in university and thinking about getting a PhD…_

            Reaching forward, Phil closed his hands over Clint’s before he was forced to read another world of what the archer was telling him. “No,” he shook his head for emphasis “Just, no. that is complete and utter horse shit.”

            It took Phil a moment to notice that Clint was looking down at his hand, which was currently closed over top of his own, most likely debating whether or not he should attempt to talk in favour of signing.

            “You never touch me at work.” The raspy voice that came from Clint’s mouth shocked him almost as much as what he said “I mean… PDA, you don’t like it at work.”

            Instead of responding immediately, Phil took a deep breath and moved his hand from over top Clint’s to the front of his mouth “No talking.” The order was sharp, and a smile pulled at his lips when the archer nodded. “I’ll make up for the lack of PDA when you’re released from medical and we can go back to the apartment. As for my degrees…” Stopping his train of thought, Phil closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He hated the rumors about all of his skills, his degrees and just how amazing people wanted him to be apparently. The exaggerations of his educational achievements were almost worse than the exaggerations of his interest in Captain America, and now apparently Clint had been convinced that these lies were true and that he was some sort of genius.

            Self-conscious, low self-esteem, and cautious Clint Barton. The man who Phil had been dating for a little over a month and who he was still learning so much about everyday. Who could talk to Phil for hours about science and the Physics of the world without having a high school degree. Clint Barton, who apparently had been led to believe that Phil was ridiculously smart and skilled because some asshole agents decided to start some bullshit rumors about him.

            Finally, after taking some time to think about it, Phil took a deep breath and looked down at the other man. “Clint, I only have my high school diploma, and that took a ridiculous amount of work for me to get.” As soon as the words had left his mouth, Phil could feel his entire body stiffen up, terrified of how Clint might react to what he was saying. He knew that other Agents had been starting rumors like this for years, and he was hardly the only one who’s life had become some sort of fanfiction for other’s amusement. “Honestly, the story about my diploma and degree is utter horse shit. I joined SHIELD straight out of high school after Nick recruited me and going to university never crossed my mind once I had the job. I’m good at tactical analysis and field work. Those are things I excel in that school could never teach me.”

            “But-” Clint winced when he made the mistake of trying to use his voice again, raising his hands once more and motioning through the familiar sign language gestures once more. _Everyone, well…a lot of Agents, they talk about how you can’t be a handler or a top agent without a university degree._

            “That’s classist bullshit,” Phil huffed, debating if he should start keeping a tally of all the time’s that he said ‘bullshit’ or some variation of it in this conversation. “I was recruited straight out of high school by Director Fury, as I told you. At first I was confused, I had C’s across the board and no matter how hard I tried I could never get anything better. The only course I did well in was history, and for years I wondered how a history nerd could be useful to SHIELD.”

            From the corner of his eyes, Phil watched Clint’s fingers and waited for a few moments to see if the archer would try to say something. When his hands remained still on his knees, Phil decided that it was best to proceed with what he had been saying. “It took my years, and more than a few conversations with Nick, to realize that getting a degree didn’t automatically make you a good agent. It’s the skills that you have regardless of your education that matter. It’s why you rarely see him bring in a kid from university or college. That’s for other handlers and leaders. Nick wants the people who are good at their job and he doesn’t care about their formal education so long as they can get the job done. Me, Maria and you are examples of this.”

            Phil felt his entire body relax as the truth finally saw the light of day. Mentally, he continued to think of ways to put an end to this idiotic rumor, knowing enough was enough at this point. He hated having to correct other agents about his education, especially someone he had become extremely close with, either as a friend or a lover. He’d gotten over any embarrassment concerning his lack of formal education years ago. It was pointless to try and impress people who thought he was beneath them and unable to be an effective leader just because they had more ‘qualifications’ that he did. But at this point he’d also been with SHIELD long enough to earn the respect of his fellow agents. And the rumors really were more annoying than flattering.

            Lost in thought, Phil almost missed it when Clint lifted his hands off of his knees and started to sign again. He would have if Clint hadn’t flicked him in the knee to gain his attention before he actually started to sign.

            _So, what you’re saying is,_ this time Clint’s fingers moved in a slow, uneasy pattern while the archer tried to process what Phil had told him, _I have better high school grades than you?_

Glancing up at the ceiling, Phil groaned at the terrible ideas that came to mind about how Clint was going to bug him about this for the rest of their lives. “I’m still your handler, you know.”

            For a moment, he didn’t bother to look back at the other man, a little terrified of what he was going to see him signing. In the past 20+ years of service, Phil had lost countless partners and assets because they had decided that he wasn’t equipped enough to be a team leader when they found out the truth about his education. In most cases he got a better partner, one of his favorites being Melinda after one asset had tried to give Nick an hour long lecture about being placed under the command of someone who was ‘less educated than the janitor’. (It was a true fact: their janitor was an extremely intelligent man and Phil was thankful for the fact that he was one of the few people who knew that the janitor was also their chief of security, who had built and monitored all of their security measures for years). Thankfully, Nick was always a patient and kind man, and repaid that lecture with two years of being relegated to the most uneventful missions that he could find (there was a very good reason that people should never piss off the Director).

            When he finally gathered up the courage to look back down at the other man, Phil found himself facing down the biggest grin that the archer could possibly manage. _Of course you’re still my hanger. No one else will put up with my bad jokes and comm chatter. Besides, you’re one of the top handlers in SHIELD and you let me get away with picking out my own nest on a mission._

            “Well,” almost as soon as the word had left his mouth, Phil could see the smile on Clint’s face starting to disappear, “yes, it’s true. I’m stuck with you and I honestly have zero complaints… well, maybe a few…”

            _That’s what I thought,_ proclaimed Clint, his hands moving almost too fast for Phil to read, _and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone that you enjoy my bad jokes._

            “I appreciate it,” chuckled Phil, reaching out and taking hold of Clint’s hand. “Now, take a break and I’ll get you an extension on that assignment. We both know I’m good at negotiations.”

            Glancing down at his hand, Clint pulled his lower lip under his teeth and smiled as he watched Phil entwine their fingers together.

            “One thing you have to promise me,” his eyes trailed up the other man’s arm, taking their time to examine the freckles that were peeking out of the collar of the hospital gown before landing on his eyes. “When you get your diploma, frame it in my office for everyone to see. I was to see the horror on their face when they’re trying to put you down using a lack of education as an excuse for their shit spewing and they see it sitting there framed behind my desk.”

            With a roll of his eyes, Clint brought his free hand up to the back of Phil’s head and pulled him down just for enough so that he could press their lips together for a tender kiss.

            “And to think,” the two of them snapped back and turned their attention towards the door where Natasha was standing with a smirk. “You told me you needed to study. If you wanted to have a make out session with your boyfriend, all you had to do was say so.”

 


End file.
